Sanitization

[croc4]

Hi All,

I am new to homebrewing, I have not actually done any yet, I am awaiting for a brew pot to come by mail.

But I have read a number of the posts and they are full of good info.

One thing has puzzled me, Every thing I read rates sanitization as being very crucial. I don't dispute that, but I can't help thinking
how did people in the middle ages or earlier do it?, we take it for granted with the number of cleaners available.

Did they have beer that did not taste as good?

I appologize for the trival nature of the post, It has just been a lingering thought.


croc4
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[Richard English]

As I have said previously on this board, it's possible to go over the top with sanitisation. With a vigorously fermenting wort there isn't usually too much of a problem and, providing you bottle or cask the beer quickly, you'll have few problems.

For wine, though, there is more need since the fernentation may continue for months or even years and a proper controlled environment is needed.

Just think, A-B beers are doubtless brewed in the most sterile environment that can be imagined - and it's not done much for the taste of their beers!

[Theakston]

In the middle ages they would have produced beer in much the same way as the Lambic brewers in Belgium still do today. The science of yeast was not developed enough to identify and create different yeast cultures with different properties. They did not pitch yeast, they took whatever nature had to offer; Whatever is floating in the air. They simply exposed the cooling wort to the air and allowed wild yeast strains to ferment the ale spontaneously.

Inevitably they took in some bacteria along the way but once the yeast gets going the alcohol would kill the active bacteria. Lambic beer has several strains of bacteria in it and this adds to the complexity, giving it a sour tang.

I visited a Lambic brewery (Cantillon) and at first look it was quite shocking. dust and cobwebs are encouraged! My first thought as a brewer was "I've probably been spending way too much on sanitation products!"

For more information there is a lot of good information about Lambic and Gueuze if you search the Real Beer sight.

[cyanide]

Actually, I believe they made beer using the same yeast. The yeast would stick to the equipment and would be introduced into the wort the next time it was used.

They've only known about yeast for a little more than a hundred years. Before then they knew to expose the wort to sticks or equipment used to make beer beforehand.

[croc4]

Thats interesting, thanks for the info.
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[fuji6100]

Just to add a few cents...

A lot of family breweries used the "family paddle" (usually a long wooden paddle, much like an oar) to stir their wort and thus the porous wood became innoculated with that family's "strain" of yeast. The same paddle would always be used to stir/innoculate the wort, giving continuity between brews.

Just a little fact I picked up along the way.